Abstract
The effectiveness of youth engagement programs remains a significant yet evolving component in community-based youth development efforts, particularly in Upper Nawasa, Barangay Commonwealth. Over the years, these initiatives have been referred to in various ways, including youth leadership, civic engagement, youth participation, and youth voice. This study investigated how these programs contribute to the prevention of street crimes among the youth in the area. This study adopted a quantitative descriptive research design to evaluate the perceptions of youth participants regarding the effectiveness of engagement programs. A total of 50 youth respondents from Upper Nawasa, Barangay Commonwealth, were selected through purposive sampling. Survey questionnaires were used to collect data, aiming to quantitatively describe and analyze the respondents’ experiences and insights related to youth crime prevention. The most frequently encountered challenge among the youth respondents were “difficulty in engaging the community and encouraging participation in program activities, ” reported by 49 participants, accounting for 11.21% of total responses. In contrast, the least encountered problem was the “lack of training and capacity-building opportunities for program staff and volunteers, ” with 37 responses, or 8.47%. The most favored solution was to “develop and regularly update an emergency response plan and conduct regular drills to prevent youth crimes, ” which received 49 responses, or 11.50%. The least suggested strategy was to “acquire necessary equipment and supplies and maintain and upgrade existing ones, ” with 34 responses, or 7.98%. Most respondents were aged 18 to 25, male, had lived in Upper Nawasa for 4 to 6 years, and had been actively involved in youth programs for less than six months. The analysis revealed that the “Core Competencies” component received an overall weighted mean of 3.73, “Technical Competencies” scored 3.84, and “Enabling and Leadership Competencies” obtained 3.79. All three areas were interpreted as “Highly Effective, ” indicating strong approval of the program's impact on youth development and street crime prevention.
